Football wins CAA APR Award for second straight year

Jun 20, 2012

CLEVELAND– For the second straight year, the University of New Hampshire football program has been recognized for its academic success and student-athlete graduation rate by receiving the Academic Progress Rate (APR) Award for the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA).

The announcement was made Wednesday by the Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association (FCS ADA).

The APR Award recognizes one institution at each of the 14 FCS conferences for compiling the top APR score, and UNH finished with the highest tally in CAA Football, placing ahead of Delaware, Georgia State, James Madison, Maine, Old Dominion, Rhode Island, Richmond, Towson, Villanova and William & Mary*.

UNH is one of only five FCS programs in the nation to garner this honor for a second straight season, joining Norfolk State (MEAC), Monmouth (NEC), Austin Peay State (Ohio Valley) and Davidson (Pioneer). The Wildcats, who boast a nation-leading eight straight NCAA Division I Championship tournament appearances, are the only FCS team in the country to both reach the postseason and capture an APR Award in back-to-back seasons.

"Our Association is pleased to present these awards to spotlight the true mission of all FCS programs, embracing the academic progress of their student-athletes, who will become leaders in their everyday lives outside of the field," said FCS ADA President Marilyn McNeil, vice-president/director of athletics at Monmouth University. "We are happy to continue to recognize the FCS institutions and their football programs for continuing to reach or maintain exemplary APR scores."

UNH will receive its award during the FCS ADA Luncheon, sponsored by UPS, on Monday, June 25, in conjunction with the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Convention at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas, Texas.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) member colleges and universities adopted a comprehensive academic reform package designed to improve the academic success and graduation of all student-athletes. The centerpiece of the package is the academic measurement for teams, known as the APR.

The APR provides a real-time look at a team's academic success each semester by tracking the academic progress of each student-athlete on scholarship, accounting for eligibility, retention and graduation and providing a measure of each team's academic performance. By measuring eligibility and retention each semester or quarter, the APR displays a clear picture of the academic culture in each sport.

About the FCS ADA: Now in its 19th year, the Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association's mission is to enhance Football Championship Subdivision football. For more information on the FCS ADA, please visit www.fcsada.com. The FCS ADA is administered by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), which is in its 47th year. For more information on NACDA and the 11 professional associations that fall under its umbrella, please visit www.nacda.com.

Season tickets and individual game tickets for the 2012 UNH football season are on sale now by calling (603) 862-4000, extension 5, or by visiting www.unhwildcats.com.